Self-Management Project in Wales

Self-management has been shown to help individuals manage struggles related to mental and physical wellbeing by setting and achieving their own goals using taught techniques.

The project

From 2009 to 2012 we developed, delivered and evaluated a range of self-management interventions for people with severe psychiatric diagnoses. We ran 60 courses at venues across Wales and reached hundreds people with a range of diagnoses including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and personality disorders.

We are also developing peer support networks for all course participants, and hope to follow their progress over the months and years ahead.

This is the first initiative of its kind, on a scale not seen within the UK. Self-management techniques have been pioneered in a range of long term physical health conditions, and MDF have developed courses for people with bipolar disorder.

Funding and partners

The project was funded by the Big Lottery Fund Cymru and was run from our office in Newport, South Wales. In partnership with MDF, the Bipolar Organisation and Cardiff University as part of a wider group of projects with lottery funding. The project started in January 2009 and ran until 2012.

What happens next

We will be building on this experience to develop evidence based practice that will be applicable to people with a range of severe psychiatric diagnoses.

We believe that self-management and peer support should be universally available to those who need it as part of statutory mental health services in the UK. If you think it could be useful to you or someone you know, please let us know.